Electric signaling device for crossings.



No. 642,502. 7 Patented Jan. 30, I900.

' U. FUCHS.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING DEVICE FOR CROSSINGS.

(Applibntion filed Nuv. 1 1898.) (No Mudei.)

2 Sheets$hest L m: "cams psrzas co. PHOYO-LITHO, WASHINGTON, u. c.

Nu. 642,!02. Patented Jan. 30, I900.

' G. FUCHS.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING DEVICE FOR CROSSINGS.

(Application filed Nov. 1, 1898.\

ilnrrhn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSKAR FUCHS, OF DRESDEN, GERMANY.

ELEUTHIG SIGNALING DEVICE FOR CROSSINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,102, dated January 30, 1900.

Application filed November 1, 1898. Serial No. 695,213. (No modeL To (tZZ whom, zit may concern.-

Be it known that I, OSKAR FUCHS, a subject of the King of Saxony, residing at Dresden, in the German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Electric Signaling Devices for Crossings and Junctions in Electric-Tramway Systems, (for which application has been made in Germany, No. F. 10,759, 11/20, dated April 2, 1898,) of which the following is a specification.

The electric signaling device according to this invention serves for controlling crossings and junctions of electric railways in which current is supplied to the locomotives from outside-that is to say, from overhead or underground conductors, but not of those in which the locomotives are propelled by storage batteries. This signaling device, which is intended to completely replace the signalman hitherto employed, is characterized by the arrangement over the crossing of a casing with movable signal-disks, which in the position of rest are contained within the easing, but when a car approaches are rendered visible by the action of a coil or coils. There are as many such disks and solenoid-coils as there are lines on which the cars approach the point in question. In the case of an ordinary crossing of two double-line railways this number will be four. That one of these disks is always operated which belongs to the line rendered dangerous by the approaching car. The solenoid-coils are inserted in the main circuit, which is rendered possible by a portion of the wire of each supply-line starting from the crossing-point being insulated from the rest and connected to the corresponding solenoid-coils and thence to the remainder of the wire. Thus a car approaching a crossing travels in a circuit containing the apparatus and closed by the car.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention as applied to two double-line tracks crossing at right angles.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan; Fig. 2, an elevation of the signaling apparatus; Fig. 3, a vertical central longitudinal section thereof; Fig. 4, a plan, and Fig. 5 a section, on the line 5 5 of Fig.

A cube or other shaped casing B (of sheet metal) is suspended at the center of the crossing on four cords or supports a, passing over the crossing by means of insulating-rings b, Fig. 4, in such manner that its four sides face the rails coming toward the crossing-point. On the outside are arranged in front of the sides movable signaling-disks O O 0 C Vertical rods 0, arranged on the casing 13, and lugs c on the disks 0 C 0 0 sliding on said rods, serve to guide the disks vertically, which in the position of rest coincide with the sides of the casing. There are secured to the casing B sheet metal sockets D of about twice the height of the casing. In the sockets D are placed solenoid-coils E E E E and inside these latter are rod-shaped cores 6 e 6 2 carrying at their upper ends platesf. These plates are connected with the signaling-disks by rods f, which are guided in the guides 01 on the upper part of the sockets D. Between each coil and plate there is a spring f sufficiently strong to raise the disk when the coil is not excited.

When a coil is excited and its core therefore drawn in, the corresponding signalingdisk will be lowered into the position,as shown in Figs. 2 and 8, for the disk 0 in which it is visible below the casing, the spring)" being at the same time compressed. The disks may be painted red and contain a recess or aperture fitted with red glass. A little below the cent-er of the casing is suspended an incandescent lamp G, with a colorless bulb, which at night illuminates the disks when they are lowered. As the lamp is constantly alight, it may be inserted into a shunt off the main circuit without any resistance, provided a number of lamps are insertedin series corresponding to the tension of the main line.

In the diagrammatic view of the arrangement of wires, Fig. 1, I II III IV are the overhead wires. The direction of travel of the cars is indicated by arrows. Considering first the line I at a certain distance in front of the crossing-point-sufliciently far to insure the signaling device being operated in time-there isinserted into the line I a short insulatingintermediate part1,which is passed over by the car, owing to its momentum. A second intermediate part 2 is arranged at the crossing-point. The portion of the line in- The latter is connected by a wire 4 (see also Fig. 4) to the opposite coil E the end of which is connected by a wire 5 to a capitol or knob H, which is an electric conductor, but insulated from the metallic casing. H is again connected by a wire 6 with the line I, but with the portion of itsituated beyond the insulating part 2.

When a car approaching the crossing has passed the insulating part 1, it takes its current from the portion of the line I situated beyond the insulating part 2. The circuit goes, therefore, through the apparatus or, to be more exact, through the two coils E and E which belong to the line at right angles to the line Ithat is to say, to the line with wires III and IV-and the current therefore draws in the cores (2 and e and whereby the signaling-disks C and (L are moved down. In this way the lines III and IV are blocked until the car has either passed beyond the insulating part 2 or stands still in front of the crossing, for in the latter case the current is interrupted by the motor .of the car being switched out. Consequently the car standing stilldoes not exercise any action at all on the signaling device. This is also an advantage compared. to other constructions, in which the signal operated by an approaching car does not [cease even when the car stops within the reachof the shunt-circuit. In these old constructions two cars simultaneously approaching the crossing could be mutually caused to stop in order to let each other pass. As the signal continues to act even with the car standing still, the driver of one car would not dare to go on unless he chose to disregard the signal and risk a collision in case the second car started at the same time. In the device according to this invention the driver who has the line in front of him clear can, on the contrary, go on without fear, as his starting will cause a signal to be displayed to warn the other car to stop.

It is sufficient to describe and to give reference-letters for one of the lines I to IV with its connection, as the same remarks apply to the others. In the construction illustrated in the drawings for a crossing of two doubleline tracks two coils are always excited at the same time, and consequently two signaling-disks lowered, as cars pass on each of the crossing lines in both directions. When the cars approach the point only from one side, then of course it is only necessary to signal on that side.

In case there is no connection on the portion of the line between the two crossings provided with devices, as described, between the wires and the cable from the central station the portions between the insulating part 2 of the crossing and the insulating part 1 of the second crossing will become dead--that is to say, there will be no current passing through them. Therefore these portions which are, so to say, cut out by the parts 1 and 2 are connected together by a transverse wire 7,

shown a second crossing, (indicated by dotted lines,) with its connections as far as they affect the line corresponding to the wires I and II. The line portions w and y would be dead under the above assumption. It will, however, be now clear that owing to the double connection of the knob H by the two wires 6 the current passing from 11 will pass through 6 II 6 I 7 into y. In this way the part a; as Well as the part y receive .the required current.

I claim- 1. A crossing signal system, comprising an electric railroad provided with intersecting lines, trolley wires for supplying current thereto,i nsulated sections in said trolley-wires adjacent the crossing, independent signals through which current is supplied to the insulated sections of the intersecting lines and a common main for supplying current to both signals and insulated sections; substantially as described.

2. In a signal system for intersecting trolley-lines the combination with a signal located at the point of intersection and comprising electrically-operated independent signaling mechanism taking current from a common connector, of trolley-wires electrically connected with said common connector, and insulated sections in said trolley-wires respectively connected with said common connector through the appropriate signaling mechanism; substantially as described.

3. In a signaling apparatus, for electric trolley-lines, the combination with intersecting trolley-lines, of a signal embodying independent solenoids, through which the lines are fed, independent cores working in said solenoids, independent springs acting in op position to the solenoids and independent signal-disks connected with the cores, whereby when the circuit is completed on any line by a car, one of the solenoids will be energized and the signal set to block the inter secting line; substantially as described.

4. An electric signaling device of the character described comprising a casing provided with a series of independently-movable signal-disks each connected to the core of a corresponding solenoid-coil on the casing, alamp below the center of the casing, and means for electrically operating the disks of the crosslines independently by an approaching car substantially as described.

5. An electric signaling device of the char acter described comprising a casing provided with a series of independently-movable signaling disks each connected to the core of a corresponding solenoid-coil on the casing, a lamp below the center of the casing conduc tors each having an insulated portion adjahand in the presence of the two subscribing centto said casing and Wires connecting said witnesses.

insulated portions through its appropriate solenoid to the main portion of the line be- OSKAR FUCHS yond the casing as and for the purpose de- \Vitnesses:

scribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my 1 OTTO WOLFE, O. F. IIUeo DUMER. 

